I replace my old habits with new, empowering habits.
My life is created by my habits; my habits are important to my quality of life. Each day, I strive to replace old habits that are unsupportive of my goals with new habits that move me in my desired direction. I am developing new habits, so I can take my life to a higher level.
Our brains are wired to keep us safe and conserve energy. This means that most of the time it has us working on autopilot because that doesn’t require the amount of energy that changing direction requires. (Where are my Physics friends? “An object in motion….”) This is why it can be so difficult to change. And the longer you’ve been doing something a certain way, the more ingrained it is in you, and the more your brain wants you to continue in the rut.
Besides having to change our actual actions, habit change also requires changing our thoughts. During my days of being a Pampered Chef Consultant, I attended lots of training about the beliefs/ actions/ results cycle. This is the concept that our beliefs (thoughts) drive our actions, which then drive our results. And the results reinforce or change our beliefs, creating a continuous cycle where our thoughts play a huge role in our ultimate success (or lack of).
So, as I focus on changing my physical health habits, one of the biggest things I’m doing is working on my thoughts. I am a natural procrastinator and, in the past when trying to change my eating or exercise habits, I often gave in to the “I can start tomorrow” mentality or the thought that allowing myself to eat an OREO today was OK because I’d get back with it tomorrow. Which, of course, rarely happened.
Now, I’m constantly reminding myself – and often saying out loud – that “every healthy choice matters!” and giving myself a pat on the back when I make the in-the-moment healthy choice. I even keep the affirmation posted to my computer where I order my groceries and takeout.
As I’ve seen positive results in my efforts, this reinforces the path that I’m on is working, which encourages me to continue with my actions, which continues to produce my desired results, and so on…. I am also physically feeling better and feeling incredibly proud of my accomplishment!
But what happens when we don’t see our desired results as quickly as we’d like or we revert to old habits? It’s important to be patient, remain positive, and be confident even during times of great challenge. Seek encouragement from friends and family. Join a group of people focused on making similar changes so that you can support each other, get advice, etc.
Embrace the change you want to make and the challenges that accompany it. Get excited when you think about the great things you can accomplish once your new habits are in place. Tell yourself you are unstoppable. Let go of your old habits and trade them in for ones that support your dreams and future.
Call to action
Ask yourself and answer these questions:
What habits are creating challenges in my life?
What new habits would I like to adopt?
What am I telling myself that impacts successfully adopting my desired habit?
Comment below an affirmation you use or will use to help you making a positive habit change. If you don’t have one, use the comment box below to ask the group for input. *When you comment, I’ll send you a free Motivational Affirmations Coloring Book.*
Come back next week when we'll talk about what we can learn from the movie "What About Bob?"
Would you like 1:1 help with habits you’re trying to change? Schedule your 20-minute Complimentary Consultation and we can discuss how I may be able to help.